


The Rush

by ColdFeetBeforeSunrise



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Friends to Lovers, So Awkward it Hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdFeetBeforeSunrise/pseuds/ColdFeetBeforeSunrise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because ‘happily ever after’ bypasses all the awkward in between.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because I'm an awkward mess and Korra's probably an awkward mess too.

They step into the portal, and without thinking Korra starts to hold her breath. Asami’s actions seem to mimic her’s, and as Korra turns to face her she’s almost not surprised to find Asami’s other hand intertwining with hers. The moment is so intense… the colors, the lights. Korra doesn’t let her eyes waver, though. Eyes trained on Asami, she stares unabashedly. She wants this. She thinks maybe, she’s always wanted this. Just one more step forward and maybe…

 

…But as soon as the lights change and she sees Asami look up and over her shoulder at the wonder that is the spirit world, Korra loses confidence. She retracts one hand and turns to exit the portal, dropping the other soon after. Asami stares after her, confused.

 

“Korra—“

 

“We’re here!” Korra says as brightly as she can, feigning excitement. Her nerves are on end but it’s not because they’re in the spirit world—Korra’s been here dozens of times. She can still feel Asami behind her.

 

Asami follows Korra, frowning lightly, but her face brightens up when she sees the flowers all around her.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

 

Korra turns and watches as Asami takes it all in—the beam of light, the flowers, the floating spirits—Asami’s look of wonder makes something turn in Korra’s stomach and she can’t seem to stop staring. But when Asami’s eyes meet hers, Korra tries to look anywhere else.

 

“Come on.”  She says, taking Asami’s hand without looking at her.

 

“Where are we going?” Asami asks.

 

“You’ll see.”

 

They keep walking through the flowers and Korra drops Asami’s hand again, thinking that maybe she’s being too touchy lately and that, you know, they haven’t really talked about these feelings tossing around her insides and while she’s sort of getting the hint that maybe Asami feels the same way too, a relationship, as she’s learned, isn’t something to jump into lightly. Especially not with your ex’s ex. Or well, you know, with someone of the same sex.

 

The same sex thing really wasn’t the issue though. The issue is not knowing. Not knowing who starts things or who says what or if, you know, she’s reading too far into this whole thing and this is just how close female friends really get.

An hour passes in near silence, just walking near each other. Korra thinks she could explode from the number of things on her mind.

 

Asami walks next to her, trying to meet her eyes, but Korra won’t let her, gaze fixed on the horizon.

 

She has to figure this out, and fast. How does one navigate feeling for someone they know inside and out? How could she possibly risk losing Asami, the one real thing that’s grounded her for the past 3 years?

 

“It feels like these flowers go on forever.” Asami says. And they do, Korra thinks. She takes a step back and examines her surroundings.

 

“What’s wrong?” Asami asks.

 

“I thought I knew where I was going… but I think I just got us more lost.”

 

Asami giggles. But Korra looks serious.

 

“I think the big tree is this way…” Korra starts, but Asami puts her hand on her arm, stopping her.

 

“We could camp out here for the night.”

 

“But, we just started…”

 

“Korra, you didn’t think that we were going to walk all night, did you? We just left the party a few hours ago. I’m exhausted.” Korra takes a moment to study Asami’s features, remembering what happened to her father.

 

“Okay. Let’s do it. Let’s camp here.” She’d do anything for that smile, honestly. It scares her how much she’d do.

 

Asami squats down and begins unrolling a mat from her pack, pulling a blanket and pillow out of it as well. How Asami has her things so neatly and efficiently packed is beyond Korra, who forgot a bedroll entirely. She hadn’t really accounted for Naga not being with them. She shrugs to herself and lays down in the flowers, pulling off her arm bands and boots and settling in next to Asami, who removes her make up.

 

“Your make up is different.”

 

“I’m surprised you noticed.”

 

Korra crosses her arms. “I’m offended. I notice things.” Then, hesitantly, “Especially things about you.”

Asami smiles in her mirror. “It was a special occasion, so I did it differently.”

 

“Please, how could you have possibly known we were going to end up here tonight?” Korra says, not believing her for a second. She had a feeling Asami had lied to Tenzin.  

 

“…We were at a wedding. Varrick’s wedding. You were there, right?”

 

“…right.” Stupid. Totally stupid. She sighs to herself and moves to roll over and look at the dark sky lit by the three spirit portals.

 

“Hey, Korra?” Asami’s hand finds its way into hers, and Korra wills herself to look over at her friend, whose loose black hair falls over her face. She reaches up and tucks it behind her ear before she even realizes what she’s doing.

 

“Thanks. For this. This is exactly what I needed.” Asami’s smile is soft, but ever so meaningful. She’s not sure anyone has ever looked at her this way before.

 

“Anytime.” Korra says, smiling at her. She can see the growing intensity in Asami’s gaze and so she turns up to look at the sky yet again. She hears Asami let out a sigh.

 

They’re toing a line, and no matter what happens in Korra’s wildest dreams when she’s fast asleep, in the real world, crossing that line means so many things. It requires bravery Korra’s not even sure she has. And she’s faced more in the past four years than most face in a lifetime.

 

“Korra.” Asami says, squeezing her hand. “Are you really gonna sleep like that?”

 

Korra turns over, resting her face against the purple flowers.

 

“I don’t see why not.”

 

“I’m assuming you didn’t bring a bedroll.” The power of deduction—god, Asami was so much smarter than Korra would ever be. How could she ever want her?

 

“I didn’t. I-I forgot Naga wasn’t gonna be with us.”

 

“You could’ve brought Naga.”

 

“But I promised you, just the two of us.” Korra blurts, and Asami smiles that knowing grin again, pulling Korra’s hand close to her chest.

 

Something flickers in her gaze. She looks down at Korra’s side and then back up at Korra’s face, gears turning. Then, shyer than Korra’s ever seen her, she reaches out and grabs Korra’s middle.

 

“Come here.” She says.

 

Korra’s not sure she heard her right, but she starts to move toward her and Asami pulls Korra down sort of beside-on-top-of her, and their faces are _so_ close.

 

“…is this okay?” Asami asks meekly, and Korra’s heart rate screams _I’m_ _dying_ and she starts to wonder if she’ll accidentally go into the avatar state or something equally as embarrassing but then she remembers that questions like Asami’s usually go over better when answered and wills herself to _breathe, calm down_ because she has to reply.

 

“Yeah.” And the eye-contact is threatening to kill Korra so she settles her cheek against Asami’s and lets out a small breath.

 

They stay like that for a while, feeling each other’s heartbeats, before Korra starts to wonder if she’s squishing Asami.

 

“Are you…comfortable?”

 

That earns her a labored laugh.

 

“You’re kind of squishing me, to be honest.”

 

Korra tries to sit up, “You pulled me over here—“ she starts, but arms close around her back and it sort of turns into a sweet embrace. A sweet Asami-crushing embrace.

 

“I really don’t mind.” She says.

 

“You just said I was squishing you.” Korra laughs and rolls them both on their sides. This positioning requires Korra to pull her cheek from Asami’s and as she does their faces are _so so_ close again.

 

Asami’s gaze is so brave and proud and… _alluring_ that Korra wants to do something, say something, close the distance and finally…

 

But instead Korra laughs shakily and says, “You don’t expect me to sleep on you, do you?”

 

Asami’s embarrassed. “Well, no. But, I don’t know… I don’t want you to get cold.”

 

Korra pulls her face away from Asami’s and takes her hand again. “I don’t really get cold.”

 

“I know. It just doesn’t seem right… you sleeping alone in a flowerbed. So…”

 

“Far away?” Korra fills in, laughing again.

“Yeah…” Now it’s Asami who turns to look up at the sky. Korra releases her hand and moves in close, laying her head right beneath Asami’s chin. She can feel Asami’s heart rate quicken under her cheek, and takes comfort in the fact that whatever this feeling is, at least she’s not alone in it. They stay that way for a long while, Korra listening to Asami’s breathing and Asami picking a flower and placing it in Korra’s hair.

 

“Are you still awake?” The vibrations of the words move though Korra’s head, and the result sends shivers down her spine.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What are you thinking about…?” She asks, running her fingers up the back of Korra’s neck to curl them in her hair.

 

“…not much.” Korra says, “Can’t concentrate with your hands in my hair like that.”

 

Asami giggles but makes no move to remove them.

 

“No, really. What are you thinking about? I’m curious.”

 

Korra lifts her head to look up at Asami, rolling her eyes.

 

“No, really! You just defeated your fourth nemesis. Your name will be in history books forever… you’re back to your former glory. What’s going through your mind, Miss Avatar?”

 

Korra rests her head on Asami’s chest again, taking a deep breath. Time to be brave.

 

“I’m thinking about how well our bodies fit together.”

 

She feels Asami’s heart rate speed up again, but before Asami can move to reply, the words keep barreling out of her.

 

“It’s like… I don’t know, we work well together, fight well together… hanging out with you is like, one of the things I look forward to most in the world. You’re queen of the modern, brilliant engineer extraordinaire; I’m queen of the spiritual, upholder of tradition—is it too much to say that our bodies fitting together is like, completely what I expected and yet the craziest thing I’ve ever thought in my life?”

 

Korra’s crossed the line. Like, she’s deliberately on the other side of it now.

 

Now she’s just waiting to see if Asami will join her.

 

“Korra…” She says, and Korra has to force herself to lift her head and meet Asami’s eyes.

 

“I don’t know what to say.” Asami’s almost crying, and wraps Korra in her arms for another embrace.

 

“You don’t have to say anything.” Korra says, and they lay there like that for a while. Asami shifts back until they’re nose to nose and Korra can feel her breath against her lips and …

 

They stay locked like that for a while.

 

“What’s wrong?” Asami finally asks, pulling back entirely to look at Korra. Korra stays where she is, eyes closed in a wince, stomach dropping and throat knotting from another missed opportunity.

 

Korra doesn’t answer. “You don’t want this.” Asami says, sitting up.

 

Korra takes a breath.

 

“First you say… something… you know, like that, and then you don’t—“

 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me Asami, I really don’t.” Korra says quickly, eyes still closed.

 

Asami stares down at her. Korra finally opens her eyes, finding the courage to look up at Asami. “It’s not you. It’s…”

 

“Scary?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Asami sits beside her, nodding like she’s totally okay with the situation although any logical person wouldn’t be, and making Korra feel oh so supported, even under the circumstances.

 

“Why, do you think?”

 

Asami places a hand on top of hers, but then pulls it away, second-guessing her choice. Korra takes the hand back and pulls it into her lap.

 

“I don’t want to be scared, it’s just… I’ve never felt this way about anyone, ever. I can’t just rush into this, like it’s nothing.”

 

Asami’s eyes glisten with tears again and they stay like that for a while, staring into each other’s eyes. Slowly, Korra leans in, their faces centimeters apart again. Nose to nose, breath intermingling, Korra and Asami close their eyes. After a few breathless seconds, Korra leans in. It’s the softest, slowest kiss Korra’s ever had, and after they part they stay close, noses still brushing. Asami smiles and places a hand on Korra’s cheek.

 

“Then let’s not rush.”

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asami's not so great at slow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask and you shall receive! No seriously, I'm so amazed at how wonderful the response to this fic was and have decided to make it into a two-shot. 
> 
> And, uh, Asami has feelings too, so... 
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s unclear how long they’d been there. Asami would’ve ordinarily tried to account for the passage of time by looking at star patterns or watching the light change from night today, but neither of those things seemed to happen in the spirit world, so she’d given up.

 

Instead, she tries to lose herself in Korra’s soft breathing.

 

She feels like an idiot, smile painted permanently on her face, unable to get the shivers out from underneath her skin and drift off to sleep, but she’s pretty sure she’ll never really be able to sleep beside Korra. She lets her eyes roam over the skin on Korra’s cheeks, close enough to see the scars, the fuzz, the individual pores.

 

She never thought she’d get this close.

 

For so long, she’d felt this growing closeness to Korra, this underlying feeling—something that’d prompted her to drop everything for Korra again and again: finding airbenders, nursing her injuries, bringing down Kuvira. Something about Korra always felt worth it.

 

But never in a million years did she think she’d be so privileged as to end up _here_.

 

Here with Korra’s breath on her nose, Korra’s arms mere inches away… privileged enough to see the Avatar at her most vulnerable.

 

Frankly, she spent a lot of time debating whether she wanted to be here. But that had all changed after Korra’s fight with Zaheer. Even after Korra’d left for the South Pole, Asami found that she couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even the most basic information on her recovery kept Asami going through hard times.

 

Without her father or Korra there, Asami threw herself into her company. She never went a night without re-realizing her father was in prison or that her best friend was recovering far away, somewhere where she couldn’t help.

 

She went three years without the two most important people in her world.

 

She’d mourned her father’s prison sentence like a death, the weight of running Future Industries in his absence almost crushing her, but every day, regardless, her heart blossomed with hope for Korra. The two conflicting emotions served only to bring her down, and her only true escape was working so hard that she’d sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

 

But, try as she might now, sleep won’t come.

 

She thinks about her dad, frail, graying, planning all along to sacrifice himself for this moment, now. Did he know this was what she wanted? Had he heard it in her prayers at night, or in between the lines of their games of Pai Sho?

 

It was like a second death for him, but now Asami could mourn him without guilt—he’d risked it all for the sake of the Avatar and Republic City—the ultimate bender and the city her predecessor had envisioned as a convergence of all nations, benders and non-benders alike.

 

She was sure didn’t feel guilty enough.

 

 Her father had always said that people mourned in different ways, and she’s sure that eventually, she’ll come around to feeling the weight of his loss the way she should, but right now, she’s much too focused on something else.

 

She watches as Korra shifts slightly, her pointer finger lightly brushing the side of Asami’s face.

 

Smile wide, all thoughts fade away. Asami smiles and watches as Korra continues to stir.

 

“Good morning.” She says, hopeful.

 

She’s met with a sleepy smile.

 

“Mornin’” Korra blinks awake, taking in the scene before her. Asami runs her thumb over Korra’s hairline, and Korra closes her eyes appreciatively before opening them again to the harsh sunlight.

 

“It’s so bright.” Korra says, squirming.

 

“Yeah, it’s been this bright all night. Or day. I can’t quite figure out how time works in the spirit world.” Asami says, and Korra snaps awake.

 

“You’re totally right. It never got dark.” Korra’s eyes fall to the ground, and Asami watches her for a second before deciding she’d better ask—

 

“What?”

 

Korra smiles sheepishly.

 

“It’s embarrassing.”

 

Asami smiles wider. “What?”

 

Korra shifts up and away from Asami, looking out over the horizon.

 

“The Spirit world… um… uh, it projects emotions.”

 

“Okay…”

 

“My emotions, mostly… everything is amplified when you’re the Avatar…”

 

Asami smirks. “So you’re saying it’s been bright because you like me.”

 

Korra furrows her eyebrows.  “I’m saying it’s bright because I’m happy… but look at you and your assumptions.”

 

“How is that embarrassing? You said it was embarrassing.”

 

Korra stands up, smirking. “You know what, it’s time to start our day. Get up.”

 

“What? No. We’re not done here—“

 

But Korra’s already up and packing. Asami sighs—Korra’s impulsive nature was a little… infuriating. Didn’t she want to stay and cuddle a while? Was that too much for Asami to ask?

 

But maybe cuddling still made Korra uncomfortable.

 

“Asami?” Korra waves, attempting to break Asami’s stare.

 

“Asami, you can’t expect me to pack everything for you.”

 

Snapping out of her daze, Asami gets down on her knees and starts to fill her pack, rolling her bedroll up and watching Korra casually lean down to blow out the fire. With the air in her lungs. Like it’s no big deal.

 

Benders have a way of making ordinary chores look frustratingly easy. How fascinating, to bend all the elements—all the daily tasks you could take care of without a second thought. It was nothing Asami isn’t used to, but watching Korra bend fills her with adoration. She’s watched Korra fight overlords and anarchists, but now she’s so much a part of Korra’s daily life she gets to watch her bend the water out of her hair or re-heat old food. The domesticity excites her, and makes her feel weird.

 

She’s just so ready to dive right in and give Korra everything—

 

…So why isn’t Korra?

 

“Okay, seriously Asami. What’s up?” Korra stands above her, extending a hand.

 

Everything’s packed. Asami’s just sitting there on her knees spaced out.

 

“Nothing.” Asami smiles brightly, meeting Korra’s eyes for effect. “All set.”

 

She takes Korra’s hand and lets her pull her to her feet. Korra’s hand leaves hers almost immediately, drifting back to her side. It’s all Asami can do to not let the bile in her stomach register that as rejection. She tries to keep it out of her voice.

 

“Where to?” she says.

 

“You’ll see.” Korra smiles, and just like that, Asami’s hooked again.

 

\---------------------------------------

 

They’ve been walking for a while, and it’s only after much observation that Asami decides the spirits are watching them. Watching over them, maybe? She wonders if Korra knows them individually, or how individual they really are—

 

There are so many things she wonders about the Spirit World.

 

She wonders how many answers Korra actually has. From what she gathers walking beside a bewildered Korra, she’s guessing Korra’s just as clueless as she is.

 

“It’s not too much further.” Korra says, breaking the comfortable silence to turn back to Asami. Asami deliberately keeps her hands at her sides, despite the desire to reach out for Korra.

 

 _Slow_ , Asami continues to repeat to herself. _Don’t rush this_.

 

Korra and Asami wander out from behind a few trees and Asami finally sees it—Korra’s been leading her to a lake.

 

A big lake, with a sort of island in the middle.

 

“My uh… friend. The first avatar, Wan. This is one of his favorite spots in the Spirit World, Raava says.” Korra takes a step toward it, then turns back to make sure Asami’s following.

 

“Wan? I’ve never heard much about him.”

 

“That’s a great story that I will tell you at some other moment.” Korra says, and Asami gives her a look suggesting she’d like the explanation sooner.

 

“Believe me, it’s a long story.”

 

Asami nods. For all the time they’ve spent together over the last… day? (She’s calling it a day), it’s amazing how little of that time they’ve spent talking. Or, you know, engaging in physical acts other than talking…

 

(Though if she’s being honest Asami could wait forever if it would guarantee another kiss like that).

 

Walking side by side toward the lake, Korra’s hand slips and hits Asami’s and Asami immediately apologizes, moving her hand so it won’t happen again.

 

Korra’s eyes dip to stare at the ground and stay there, and Asami wonders what’s going through her mind.

 

“Mind if I ask what you’re thinking about again?” She says, suddenly regretting pushing Korra, _again_.

 

Asami’s never been good at slow. Quick sketches, harsh deadlines, street racing… Asami’s never done anything slow in her life.

 

Her mother used to say that some food tastes better as it cools down.

 

…But how long was that going to take?

 

Korra smiles shyly and Asami almost forgets what question she even asked.

 

“Candid thoughts?”

 

“Candid thoughts.”

 

And it’s almost like Korra’s going to tell her but then something shifts in her gaze and suddenly she’s staring off into the distance.

 

“Last one to the lake is a rotten egg!”

 

Korra smiles wide and rushes ahead and without warning starts to strip and _gee_ , isn’t it amazing the things Korra decides to be bashful about? But Korra’s grin upon entering the water is enough to make Asami quake with nervous laugher as she, too, strips and jumps in after her. 

 

Korra swims over next to her and they’re both soaked and Asami’s heartbeat speeds up as Korra’s face nears hers and…

Sinks down to sniff her.

 

“Ugh… gross, definitely rotten.” Korra says, laughing, and at first Asami doesn’t even get the joke but then when she does it’s the _worst joke ever_ and she’s laughing like a freak and…

 

…slightly disappointed?

 

Korra swims away, waterbending a giant octopus and taking a few pieces of fruit from a tree nearby to attempt to juggle. Asami watches, impressed, but eventually gets bored enough to reach up and catch one of the pieces of fruit for herself.

 

“Oh no you don’t!” Korra says, coming up behind her.

 

Asami plunges beneath the water just as Korra wraps herself around Asami’s outside, their hair floating up and intermingling. Asami turns around and meets Korra’s eyes under the water, yearning to get closer but then realizing that that’s _rushing_ and swiming back up to the surface.

 

The frown on Korra’s face after she resurfaces is unmistakable.

 

“Asami?” Korra says, moving toward her, “what’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing. Really. I’m fine.” Asami says, hugging herself and pretending like she doesn’t want to reach out and run her hands along Korra’s waist and feel the way her muscles flex along her stomach while she swims in place.

 

Korra’s face says she doesn’t believe her for a second and even Asami doesn’t believe Asami, really.

 

But voicing this feels so… _silly._  

 

Korra reaches out and tries to take Asami’s hand, but Asami pulls away, and Korra’s expression changes in the way that makes Asami’s heart sting.

 

But, at the same time, Asami feels somewhat justified in making Korra feel something, even if it’s painful—Asami’s the one who cares more, she’s the one ready to jump right in; is it wrong to want Korra to feel a smidge of the pain she does at Korra’s hesitation?

 

“You don’t want me… to touch you? Is that it? Are you uncomfortable…?” Korra starts; swimming a full meter away, eyes matching the water she’s intent on staring at.

 

“That’s not it—“

 

“You didn’t want to take my hand earlier—“

 

Their hands had brushed earlier, hadn’t they? _Oh._

 

“Korra, I—“

 

“No, it’s okay… I know I’m the one that said all that cheesy stuff yesterday—Spirits, I think I’m so smooth, don’t I? Listen, you shouldn’t feel any pressure to be with me or…”

 

Korra’s eyes finally met hers.

 

“Or make me any promises, or…”

 

“Korra…” Asami tried to intervene, but there was no stopping the Avatar.

 

“I don’t want you to feel like I expect anything. ‘Cause I don’t. It’s just one kiss. I mean, people can get over kisses. It’s not like, you know, that kiss was so special or—“

 

“Korra!” Asami says, taking her shoulders. Platonically.

 

Internally, she cringes, remembering how she’d practically dragged the Avatar onto her chest yesterday. Safe, platonic touches. At least until they figured this out.

 

Korra shuts her mouth, staring at Asami.

 

“Korra, I like you. I told you that. We kissed yesterday. That meant something. Please don’t erase all of that.”

 

“No second thoughts?”

 

“No second thoughts.” This, Asami’s sure of. She stares deep into Korra’s eyes, hoping that, if nothing else, she could make her understand that. “Really.” She adds for emphasis.

 

Korra half smiles, but still manages to look like she’s frowning. “So then what’s bugging you?” 

 

Asami releases her shoulders. “It’s complicated. Can we… talk about it on solid ground?” Korra nods and they swim to the edge of the lake, taking refuge on a large hot rock.

 

Asami’s heart is pounding, and she can tell Korra’s is too by the way she sits impatiently on the rock, unable to relax into any comfortable position. She fidgets with her toes.

 

“So…” Korra starts, staring down at her feet.

 

“It’s… kind of embarrassing.”

 

“Want me to tell you something embarrassing first?” Korra says, smiling sheepishly. “I mean, if it helps you get it out?”

 

Asami smiles, unsure, “I mean, sure, if you want.”

 

“Oh, geez—“ Korra says, rubbing the back of her neck. “I uh… I got up early this morning and just stared at your face for like an hour. It was so weird. I just like, put my nose next to yours and leaned my forehead against yours and just like, drowned in your scent. I just wanted to stay there forever. And wake up like that for the rest of my life.” Korra shifts again. “You know what, forget that last part.”

 

Asami covers her face with one hand and takes in a sharp breath.

 

“Asami? Oh, geez, I knew that was too much.” Korra starts, but Asami interrupts—

 

“I’m such an idiot.”

 

“What?” Korra says, cocking her head to the side like it’s not the most adorable thing in the world. Asami takes Korra’s head in her hands and brings their lips together, trying not to be too surprised when Korra returns the kiss with the same passion that flows through Asami’s core.

 

Then, when all the air has disappeared from her lungs, Asami finally leans back and realizes what she’s done. Korra follows Asami, leaning forward on her hips and toppling over her body.

 

“I promised myself I wasn’t going to do that.” Asami says, biting her lip.

 

“Do what?”

 

“Rush you.”

 

Korra leans back but still doesn’t leave Asami’s hips, staring at her inquisitively.

 

“Was I not participating 100%?”

 

“Well…”

 

“I see no issue.” Korra says assertively, and leans forward again so that they’re nose to nose. She’s doing a weird push-up over Asami and keeps blinking at her almost... expectantly?

 

“I just… I guess I just convinced myself that I… was more invested in the relationship, or something?” Asami finally gets out, the knot in her throat unraveling.

 

“Because I was so hesitant?” Korra fills in, and Asami shyly meets her eyes.

 

“Yeah.” She breathes out, and Korra leans in for another kiss. She leans over Asami, pushing her back onto the rock and tangling their legs together.

 

Finally, Korra pulls back, hair falling forward just low enough that it tickles her nose. She blows it out of the way.

 

“Hey.” Korra says, eyes serious. “Just because I’m into taking it slow does not mean I don’t appreciate it when you push me.”

 

Asami just stares, admiring the strength in Korra’s eyes.

 

“Don’t hold back.” She says, and Asami reaches up to stroke her cheek.

 

Korra’s foot slips, and she flops onto Asami’s body, earning her a pained laugh. Korra scrambles up, and Asami stares at her with warm eyes.

 

“You okay?” Korra asks. 

 

“Yeah.”

 

“We’re okay?” Asami laughs and pulls Korra in for _yet another_ kiss. She could get used to this.

 

“Yeah.” Asami’s eyes soften and as sincerely as she can, she adds,“Someday we’ll find the right rhythm. Someday this won’t be so awkward.”

 

“I hope so, because _baby_ , you’re my _forever girl_.” Korra grins ridiculously.

 

Asami chuckles and pushes Korra off of her, causing her to slip off the rock and fall back into the water. The engineer scrambles down the rock, panic subsiding when Korra resurfaces.

 

“You okay?”

 

“I deserved that.”

 

Asami offers Korra a hand and pulls her back up.

 

“Did that ever work for Aang?”

 

“He was the Avatar, Asami—what doesn’t work for us?”

 

Korra’s bright cocky smile earns her another shove into the water, but this time she pulls Asami down with her.

 

This time, they resurface together, and Asami pulls Korra’s waist to hers. They swim flush against each other, and Asami’s hand makes its way up to Korra’s left cheek.

 

“Is this okay?” Asami asks. Korra stares at her long and hard before leaning in for a long, wet kiss.


End file.
